Rochester’s Adam McPhee got to celebrate his 50th senior game in emphatic fashion.
After another cold and wet Saturday across the Goulburn Valley League, the finals race is becoming red-hot.
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Rochester may have always been the overwhelming favourite heading into its round 15 clash with the injury-riddled Bulldogs at Tatura Park, but some of the numbers in what eventually became a triple-figure winning margin were remarkable indeed.
The visiting Tigers adopted a serious take-no-prisoners approach in getting the expected jump on Tatura, with midfield bull Mitch Trewhella finding the big sticks twice in a barnstorming opening term that yielded six unanswered goals.
Tatura’s Curtis Ryan and Riley Morris wrap up Rochester’s Mitch Trewhella.
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Rochester’s Dillon Williams tries to alleviate some pressure in tough conditions.
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Tatura’s Jhdara Jones has to fend off Rochester’s Wil Hamilton and James McPhee.
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Rochester’s Nathan McCarty forces a fumble on Tatura’s Riley Morris.
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Rochester’s Matt Kellett takes gaining territory into his own hands.
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Rochester milestone man Adam McPhee has a crack on goal.
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Tatura’s Tim Wilson and Rochester’s Lachie Watson go up in the ruck.
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Tatura’s Che Wells escapes a challenge on the run.
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Rochester’s Wil Hamilton nails a running aerial grab.
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Bearing that in mind, though, the shift after the first change was drastic, at least on the scoreboard.
While Tatura wasn’t clawing into the game as a whole, Sean McAllister did at least get the home side on the board as both sides settled for a single major apiece heading into the half.
This, mind you, was despite Rochester controlling the ball with 30 more disposals in the quarter (85-55) and tripling the inside 50 count (12-4) in a display that saw chance after gettable chance go begging.
Thankfully for Ash Watson’s men, they were already 39 points to the good and the long break brought a needed refresh and sharpening to their game, as evidenced by a far more clinical third term.
Restricting Tatura to five marks for the quarter, Rochester saw almost no need for pressure acts, registering five of its own, as all six of the visitor’s goals came from different contributors in a remarkable scene of cohesion.
The Bulldogs picked up around the arcs, though, registering their best half-hour on the scoreboard as Tim Wilson and Comanche Wells put through the final two goals of another dismal day for the bottom side.
The merciless Tigers limited their foes to a single-figure handball tally after three-quarter time, despite Jacob Simpson dominating in the ruck throughout the afternoon, running up a massive 17-3 inside 50 count as James McPhee wound up with a game-high five goals in the 19.18 (132) to 3.7 (25) win.
Watson was happy to come away with the points after the breakout blitz saw things wrapped up relatively early.
“The first quarter, we knew they’d come out with high pressure and intensity,” Watson said.
“We attacked the contest well and played how we wanted to.
“After quarter-time, it just got a bit wet, so we just had to slog it out from there.
“It was pleasing to have it our way for the majority of the game; we knew they’d come hard at us and we matched that with the way we started.
“We probably overused the ball during that second term, but we just went back to basics after half-time with playing a lot more direct.”
Of course, Rochester’s upcoming assignment goes from one extreme to the next with a bye this week for the split round preceding a visit from ladder leader Echuca.
Little is decided as far as top two goes yet, though — and Watson knows it.
“We’ll definitely be trying our best for the double chance, or to qualify as high as we can,” Watson said.
“With Echuca and Mooroopna coming, we just have to win as many as we can.
